OAKLAND – On the surface, everything about Stephen Curry looked the same.

On Wednesday, Curry showed his competitive side by renewing his post-practice shooting routine with Kevin Durant. On Tuesday, Curry showed his nurturing side by including fourth-year guard Quinn Cook as well as training camp invitees Tyler Ulis and Kendrick Nunn in his post-practice workout. And on both days, Curry showed his playful side by finishing those sessions with half-court shots.

Dig deeper, though, and the 30-year-old Curry has actually become a changed man. Before training camp started, though, Curry spent his offseason fulfilling a different routine. And it is something that Curry projected could have significant implications entering his 10th NBA season.

“It’s probably one of the best summers I had in terms of my prep work going into a year,” Curry said. “I’m excited with what that will mean on the court.”

What could that mean? Curry already has won three NBA championships. He has collected two regular-season MVP’s. He has cemented himself as the league’s best shooter. But as Warriors assistant coach and Curry confidant, Bruce Fraser said, “he wants to be the best.”

Therefore, Curry said he spent this past summer completing “a lot of consistent work” that did not reflect his usual offseason routine.

“In the past, there were times he would get the work in when he could get it in. I feel like this summer, there was a dedication to that,” Fraser told Bay Area News Group. “Not that he hasn’t been dedicated in the other summers. He’s a dedicated person and player. But mentally, I think he got more rest and also he assured himself a space each day that he could use for basketball.”

Therefore, Curry mapped out his offseason with specific parameters to reach this goal: “I definitely wanted to pace myself.” After Curry missed a combined 31 regular-season games and six playoff games because of overlapping ankle and knee injuries, the Warriors determined he did not any surgery or non-invasive procedures to heal those ailments. So after the Warriors won the NBA championship in mid June, Curry estimated he spent about a month resting.

Once he began training, Curry reported that “my body felt pretty solid.” So after describing his past four offseasons as “chaotic” because of numerous vacation and business trips, Curry spent most of July in the Bay Area. Then, Curry worked out with his personal trainer, Brandon Payne, on strengthening his ankles and knees, while also sharpening his conditioning and shooting.

Curry stayed active in early August by golfing at the Ellie Mae Classic in Hayward. Even when Curry went on Under Armour trips in early September in Manila, Phillippines, China, Japan, France and the U.K, Curry squeezed in workouts there, too. Curry found that itinerary more manageable than in the past four offseasons that he described as “chaotic” amid other business trips. In the 2016 offseason, Curry also skipped the Rio Olympics and mostly spent that summer healing his rested right knee.
Golden State Warriors’ Stephen Curry (30) is photographed during the Golden State Warriors Media Day at Rakuten Performance Center in Oakland, Calif., on Monday, Sept. 24, 2018. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group)

“As you get older, to maintain, you can’t take too much time off,” Curry said. “It was part of the gig. I had a lot of consistent work. That had me feeling good physically and mentally going into the season.”

Well, mostly. Curry and his wife, Ayesha, welcomed their third child, Canon, on July 2. In addition to caring for their first son, the Curry’s also have two young daughters in Riley and Ryan. Has Curry received enough sleep?

“I am getting adequate sleep that a parent of three should get,” Curry said, smiling. “It’s not the same sleep I got in ’09. But it’s plenty.”

So, the Warriors have not seen Curry nursing shut eyelids.

“He’s doing great. He’s happy in every aspect,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said. “I think he’s also in his prime physically as an NBA player. He’s in a good place.”

To remain in that good place, Curry has stressed the need to outline mini goals for the 2018-19 season. The concept might seem absurd given Curry’s credentials. That explains why Kerr joked Curry’s main goal this season entails hitting a hole-in-one on his golf simulator. As Kerr joked, “that’s the only way I can help him.”

And yet, Curry argued that goal-setting will become instrumental in ensuring he keeps his stature among the NBA elite.

Curry’s top goal: “stay healthy.” Usually, Chelsea Lane helped Curry with that as the Warriors’ head performance therapist. Lane has since left for the Atlanta Hawks training staff, a move Curry mourned and called “weird” and “different.” But Curry sounded intrigued about the Warriors hiring Rick Celebrini, a sports and orthopedic physiotherapist who has also trained Hall-of-Fame point guard Steve Nash. Then, Celebrini helped Nash improve his postural stability while nursing chronic back problems through a 19-year NBA career.

“Rick is on the side watching and taking mental notes on how I move and ways he can help me stay healthy,” Curry said. “We’ll have that good back and forth. That’s the part of the building process in terms of a whole new staff that you have to get to know on the fly.”
Curry’s other goal: “play more efficient.” That might seem hard to do. He has appeared in the past five NBA All-Star games. In the past five seasons, Curry has exceeded his career averages in points (23.1). He has shattered countless 3-point shooting records. But Curry likes to scrutinize. He has posted his worst numbers from 3-point range in 2016-17 (41.1 percent) and 2017-18 (42.3 percent). With the Warriors fighting complacency throughout the 2017-18 season, Curry also suggested he contributed to that apathy.

“Coming into the season, who knows what this means stats wise. But I know when I work off the court every night, I leave it all out on the floor and do what I need to do to help my team win,” Curry said. “That’s the one thing I can control – how I prepare for the season. I think I did that.”

Therefore, the Warriors might see Curry’s best version of himself, a scary proposition considering what Curry has already accomplished.

“He feels better physically and mentally. When you do that, it gives you satisfaction and it gives you confidence,” Fraser said. “He’s more excited to start this year than he has been in the past. I can feel it. It’s Steph Curry. I expect nothing less.”

Golden State Warriors' Stephen Curry (30) reacts in the first quarter of their NBA game against the Phoenix Suns at Oracle Arena in Oakland, Calif., on Monday, Oct. 8, 2018. The Warriors star has evolved a lot through the years. Check out his transformation from his early days at Davidson to his rookie year and beyond. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)

Davidson's Stephen Curry reacts as his team defeats Elon 65-49 in the Southern Conference championship basketball game in North Charleston, S.C., on Monday, March 10, 2008. Curry had 23 points as Davidson defeated Elon 65-49. (AP Photo/Mary Ann Chastain)

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Stephen Curry #30 of the Davidson Wildcats celebrates after a 82-76 victory over the Gonzaga Bulldogs during the 1st round of the 2008 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament on March 21, 2008 at RBC Center in Raleigh, North Carolina. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)

The Charlotte Observer, Jeff Siner/ The Associated Press

In this Feb. 28, 2009 file photo, Davidson's Stephen Curry soars to the basket during their 99-56 win over Georgia Southern in an NCAA college men's basketball game in Davidson, N.C. Curry scored 34 points to become the school's all time leading scorer passing John Gerdy who had held the record for 30 years.(AP Photo/The Charlotte Observer, Jeff Siner)

Davidson's Stephen Curry waits before being chosen during the first round of the NBA basketball draft, Thursday, June 25, 2009 in New York. The Golden State Warriors drafted Curry with the seventh pick. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

Golden State Warriors top draft pick Stephen Curry smiles during a news conference at the Warriors headquarters in Oakland, Calif., Friday, June 26, 2009. Curry, a guard from Davidson College, was selected No. 7 overall in the basketball draft. (AP Photo/Paul Sakuma)

Golden State Warriors first round draft pick Stephen Curry, left, talks to members of the press during the team's media day at its downtown practice facilty, Monday, Sept. 28, 2009 in Oakland, Calif. (D. Ross Cameron/Staff)

Dallas Mavericks forward Dirk Nowitzki (41), of Germany, loses the ball to Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) during the second half of an NBA basketball game Tuesday, Nov. 24, 2009, in Dallas. The Warriors won 111-103. (AP Photo/Sharon Ellman)

Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) drives against Charlotte Bobcats point guard Shaun Livingston (2) in the second half of an NBA basketball game in Charlotte, N.C., Friday, Dec. 31, 2010. The Warriors won 96-95. (AP Photo/Chris Keane)

Golden State Warriors Stephen Curry and Jeremy Lin enjoy the view from the bench as their team take on the Grizzlies at Oracle Arena in Oakland, Calif., on Wednesday, Nov. 3, 2010. (Susan Tripp Pollard/Staff)

Point guard Stephen Curry is surrounded by reporters and photographers during the Golden State Warriors media day event, held Monday, Sept. 27, 2010 at the team's headquarters in Oakland, Calif. (D. Ross Cameron/Staff)

Golden State Warriors head coach Don Nelson hugs Stephen Curry, (30), as they celebrate their win over the Detroit Pistons on Saturday, Feb. 27, 2010 at the Oracle Arena in Oakland, Calif. The Warriors defeat the Pistons 95-88. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Staff)

Golden State Warriors Stephen Curry, #30, gets the ball knocked out of his hand by Chicago Bulls C.J. Watson, #7, in the second quarter of their game on Monday, Dec. 26, 2011, at Oracle Arena in Oakland, Calif. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Staff)

The Golden State Warriors' Stephen Curry gets encouragement from coach Keith Smart, against the Los Angeles Lakers in the third quarter at the Oracle Arena in Oakland, Calif. on Wednesday, April, 6, 2011. (Dan Honda/Staff)

The Golden State Warriors' Stephen Curry drives against the Los Angeles Lakers in the first quarter at the Oracle Arena in Oakland, California, on Wednesday, April 6, 2011. (Dan Honda/Contra Costa Times/MCT)

Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors and the Sophomore Team sits next to Carmelo Anthony of the Denver Nuggets as his son Kiyan Carmelo Anthony is between them during the T-Mobile Rookie Challenge and Youth Jam at Staples Center on Feb. 18, 2011 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)

Phoenix Suns' Steve Nash, right, drives to the basket as Golden State Warriors' Stephen Curry defends during the first half of an NBA basketball game Monday, Feb. 7, 2011, in Oakland, Calif. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)

Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) drives to the hoop past Philadelphia 76ers forward Thaddeus Young (21) in the first half of an NBA basketball game at the Oracle Arena in Oakland, Calif., Friday, Dec. 28, 2012. (Anda Chu/Staff)

The Golden State Warriors' Stephen Curry (30) drives against the Charlotte Bobcats' Kemba Walker (15) in their NBA game played at the Oracle Arena in Oakland, Calif. on Friday, Dec. 21, 2012. (Dan Honda/Staff)

Golden State Warriors' Stephen Curry (30) shoots a free-throw against the the Denver Nuggets in the second quarter for Game 6 of their first-round NBA basketball playoff series on Thursday, May 2, 2013 in Oakland, Calif. (Doug Duran/Bay Area News Group)

Stephen Curry has fun with refugee children at Nyarugusu Refugee Camp in Tanzania, where he helped distribute 38,000 bed nets in August 2013. (Stuart Ramson/Nothing But Nets)

Golden State Warriors' Stephen Curry (30) walks off the court following their 92-88 win against the Denver Nuggets for Game 6 to win their first-round NBA basketball playoff series on Thursday, May 2, 2013 in Oakland, Calif. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group)

Golden State Warriors' Stephen Curry (30) celebrates during their game against the Denver Nuggets in the third quarter of Game 4 of their first-round NBA basketball playoff series on Sunday, April 28, 2013, in Oakland, Calif. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group)

Golden State Warriors' Stephen Curry (30) dribbles against San Antonio Spurs' Tony Parker (9) in the first quarter for Game 4 of the Western Conference semifinals at Oracle Arena on Sunday, May 12, 2013 in Oakland, Calif. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)

Golden State Warriors' Stephen Curry (30) dribbles against Los Angeles Clippers' Chris Paul (3) in the first quarter in Game 6 of their Western Conference NBA Playoff game at Oracle Arena in Oakland, Calif. on Thursday, May 1, 2014. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)

Golden State Warriors' Stephen Curry (30) takes a three-point shot against the Los Angeles Clippers in the first quarter during Game 4 of their Western Conference NBA playoff game at Oracle Arena in Oakland, Calif., on Sunday, April 27, 2014. (D. Ross Cameron/Bay Area News Group)

Golden State Warriors' Stephen Curry (30) dribbles past
Los Angeles Clippers' Blake Griffin (32) in the first quarter in Game 6 of their Western Conference NBA Playoff game at Oracle Arena in Oakland, Calif. on Thursday, May 1, 2014. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)

Golden State Warriors' Stephen Curry (30) passes the ball against Los Angeles Clippers' Blake Griffin (32) in the first quarter of Game 3 of their Western Conference NBA playoff game at Oracle Arena in Oakland, Calif. on Thursday, April 24, 2014. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)

Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors warms up prior to Game One of the 2015 NBA Finals against the Cleveland Cavaliers at ORACLE Arena on June 4, 2015 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

Stephen Curry celebrates with fans along West Grand Avenue during the Golden State Warriors NBA championship parade in downtown Oakland, Calif., Friday June 19, 2015. (Anda Chu/Bay Area News Group)

President Barack Obama greets Golden State Warriors point guard Stephen Curry, center, and Curry's former Davidson College teammate Bryant Barr in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2015. (Pete Souza/Official White House Photo)

Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry, center, jokes with teammates Kevin Durant, left, and Klay Thompson after Curry hit a 3-point basket and was fouled by a Denver Nuggets player during the second half of an NBA basketball game Thursday, Nov. 10, 2016, in Denver. The Warriors won 125-101. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Golden State Warriors' Stephen Curry (30) tries to drive around his brother Dallas Mavericks' Seth Curry (30) in the first half of a NBA game at Oracle Arena in Oakland, Calif., on Friday, Dec. 30, 2016. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)

Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry argues with officials after thinking he was fouled while shooting against the Phoenix Suns during the first half of an NBA basketball game Sunday, Oct. 30, 2016, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

Kevin Love #0 of the Cleveland Cavaliers guards Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors during the first half at Quicken Loans Arena on Dec. 25, 2016 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images)

NBA basketball player Stephen Curry, of the Golden State Warriors, accepts the award for best record-breaking performance at the ESPY Awards at the Microsoft Theater on Wednesday, July 13, 2016, in Los Angeles. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)

Golden State Warriors' Stephen Curry poses with his back-to-back MVP trophies and teammates during a presentation at Oracle Arena in Oakland, Calif., on Tuesday, May 10, 2016. Curry is the first player in the NBA to be unanimously voted MVP.s. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)

The Golden State Warriors' Stephen Curry (30) looks to pass against the Portland Trail Blazers in the third quarter of Game 1 of their NBA first round playoff series at Oracle Arena in Oakland, Calif., on Sunday, April 16, 2017. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)

Golden State Warriors' Stephen Curry (30) smiles while on the court during their game against the Portland Trail Blazers in the second quarter of Game 2 of their NBA first round playoff series at Oracle Arena in Oakland, Calif. on Wednesday, April 19, 2017. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)

Golden State Warriors' Stephen Curry (30) takes a shot against the Cleveland Cavaliers in the fourth quarter of Game 4 of the NBA Finals at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio, on Friday, June 8, 2018. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)

Golden State Warriors' Stephen Curry smokes a cigar and shoots wristbands into the crowd during their championship parade in downtown Oakland, Calif., on Tuesday, June 12, 2018. The Warriors swept the Cleveland Cavaliers to win back-to-back NBA championships. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)

Golden State Warriors' Stephen Curry holds the Larry O'Brien NBA Championship Trophy as he rides on a double decker bus during the Warriors championship parade in downtown Oakland, Calif., on Tuesday, June 12, 2018. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)

Golden State Warriors' Stephen Curry (30) is photographed during the Golden State Warriors Media Day at Rakuten Performance Center in Oakland, Calif., on Monday, Sept. 24, 2018. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group)